I Love America ...

So, I guess by now we all know that the biggest decision in the history of the Olympic Games was made last Friday. The International Olympic Whiskey Drinking and Hooker Banging Committee chose Rio de Janeiro to host the 2016 Summer Games. Also, as we all know, one of the cities that Rio beat out was Chicago, which actually finished fourth. Tokyo (third) and Madrid (second) were the other finalists that nobody cared about.

A lot of people were really surprised that Chicago lost out to Brazil. But, if you break it down scientifically, I think it's pretty easy to see how Rio won.

Rio...


Vs.

Chicago...



So, as you can see, it really wasn't much of a contest.

But, I did find it odd to see how many Americans were rooting against America. Very strange. Personally, I always root for America. That's just the kind of guy I am. Some people aren't like me. Some people hate America and want America to fail. I don't like or understand that mentality, but I've accepted it as just something that is going to happen. But, that's also what is so great about America. Americans are free! Free to root against America. This is why the terrorists hate us. Because of our freedom, right? Terrorists don't allow other terrorists to root against their terrorist nation. But, in America, freedom is what it's all about.

Why do some Americans root against America? Well, usually for either selfish or partisan political reasons. It's a pretty sad day when someone would root against their own country that they claim to love, just because they think it might help "their side" politically. I wouldn't want to be a part of a political party that was looking for political advantage out of bad things happening to America. Or America losing.

It's was really weird. There I was with my American Flag waving, all ready to chant "U-S-A! ... U-S-A! ... U-S-A!" and they announced that Chicago had been eliminated. So I was like "Aww man! Bummer" But then a bunch of my fellow Americans starting cheering and celebrating at America's loss.

I was stunned at such an unpatriotic display.

I mean, what are these people gonna do next? Root against Team USA when we compete at the Olympics? I can see it now. We'll be playing somebody in basketball like .. uh .. Yugoslavia. Is there still a Yugoslavia? Okay, let's go with Croatia. I'll be chanting "U-S-A!" like a real American would, and they'll be chanting "Cro - A - Tia!" cause they think that Team USA losing at basketball will help their political side or something.

You know I can understand people who live in other countries not rooting for America. Kinda At least people who live in cool countries like Mexico or the Netherlands where drugs are legal. They would naturally root against America. But, honestly? There are some people out there who live in really shitty countries and I suspect that they root for America most of the time.

Kind of like people who didn't go to college or maybe went to a crummy school or at least a school that's not any good at football having to find another school to root for. Like say, somebody who attended, oh IDK, Missouri State. MSU sucks at football. I'm not even sure that they play Division 1 football. So, people who attended that school have to find another college football team to support. Usually a winning school like Texas or Southern California.

That's because people root for winners. And America is a winner baby! And that's why I can't believe that some Americans would root for Socialist countries with socialist health care and that allow gay marriage. Wait, I support gay marriage. Scratch that part. Anyway, all of these people, so blinded by their own political dreams were rooting against America and rooting FOR Socialist hell holes. And, as a patriotic real American, that makes me mad.




*In other news. As of the writing of this post, it looks like Matt-Man's kicker will have to produce 29 points on Monday night in order for him to beat me at Fantasy Football. Now, it's not my style to brag about how my team, The Stalkers, beat the living crap outta Matt's team, The Jonas Brothers. I only mention this because I'll bet you that the so-called "Americans" who were rooting against America for the Olympics, are just the kind of people who are probably rooting for Matt's kicker to pull of the impossible and beat me. Because that's just and example of the kind of people they are.

Movies, Books and America ...

Well since Friday is Independence Day here in America, I don’t know how much action there will be here in the neighborhood. So, I thought I’d do a couple of meme.

The first person I saw do this one was Avitable. I don’t think he really intended for it to end up being a meme, but I’ve seen it on many, many blogs the last couple of weeks. Most recently by Malcolm. I had been intending to do it before now, but had other things to do.

Anyway, Entertainment Weekly has come out with a list of the “New Classics.” It’s the 100 best films of the last 25 years. So, we’re talking since 1983 here.

I’ve bolded the movies I’ve seen and put one star next the one’s I liked and two next to the one’s I REALLY liked. I also added a bit of commentary to some of them, including the movies I didn’t like.


1. Pulp Fiction (1994) ** (It really bugs me that Vincent Vega was such a fucking amateur that he would leave his MP5 on the counter when he went to take a dump. If I were a trained assassin I would always take my weapon with me to the shitter.)

2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997) (I’ve actually not seen all of this movie. I just couldn’t make it all the way through.)

4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)**
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)**
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)**
9. Die Hard (1988)**
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)
11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)*
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)**
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)**
16. Boogie Nights (1997)* (Heather Grahm will forever be the naked chick on roller skates to me.)

17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)*
19. Casino Royale (2006)** (Daniel Craig was a wayyyyy better 007 than I thought he’d be.)

20. The Lion King (1994)
21. Schindler's List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)**
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)**
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)**
30. When Harry Met Sally... (1989)**
31. Brokeback Mountain (2005) (Ha! I’ve never met a straight guy who would ever admit to watching this movie. Well, actually I just watched (most of) it on Bravo. It didn’t suck (hehe .. get it? “Suck?” They were gay? Ehem ... anyway) but it wasn’t that great either. Heath Ledger was really good in it though.

32. Fight Club (1999)**
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)**
34. Fargo (1996)** (The Coen Brothers rock.)

35. The Incredibles (2004)*
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990) (I hated this movie more than I can even explain.)

38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Meh
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)**
40. Speed (1994)*
41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995) (I’m almost ashamed to admit that I’ve actually seen this movie a few times.)

43. Gladiator (2000)** (A Spanish Gladiator who speaks with an Australian accent? Okay.)

44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)*
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)**
48. Scarface (1983)**
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)
51. There Will Be Blood (2007)*
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)*
53. The Truman Show (1998)*
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983) (Rebecca de Mornay was quite a wonderful sight for a 15 year-old young man!)

56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998) (The only reason I watched this movie was for Cameron Diaz.)

58. Ghostbusters (1984)**
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)**
60. Scream (1996) (I prefer I Know What You Did Last Summer. I think that’s because of the presence of Jennifer Love Hewitt in IKWYDLS.

61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)**
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989) (Ho-Hum)
63. Big (1988)*
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)**
65. Dirty Dancing (1987) (Baby needs to go get in the corner and freaking stay there.)

66. Natural Born Killers (1994)**
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)*
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)**
71. Unforgiven (1992)**
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)**
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)**
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)**
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007) (meh)
81. Moonstruck (1987)**
82. Lost in Translation (2003) (I thought this movie was incredibly boring. And, by the end of it I was sick and tired of Scarlett Johansson. OMG did I really just type that last line?)

83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004) (I haven’t seen the whole movie. I didn’t find it as clever as so many people said it was. Maybe it’s just me though.)

85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)**
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)
91. Back to the Future (1985)**
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)** (WHAT IS YOU MAJOR MALFUNCTION NUMBNUTS?)

95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)


I would say that Casino, The Gangs of New York, The Untouchables and Jurassic Park should have been on that list too. And maybe Clerks.


--

And ... I got tagged by another Adam ... this one from Louie Pitt Bull (and Ollie Beagle).

The rules are: Grab the book nearest to you and open to page 123. Find the fifth sentence and write down the next three sentences and then tag 5 other people.

“When the strips are pleasantly golden brown and the bubbles start to slow noticeably, spread the strips on a draining rack and immediately season with salt and pepper.

Start peeling the next batch into the water, and repeat. The oil will be back up to temperature and ready to by the time you are.”

That was from “I’m Just Here For the Food” by Alton Brown.

--


And since Friday is Independence Day here in America, I thought I’d leave you with a couple of videos. The first is the trailer to “Gonzo.” This is the documentary about Hunter S. Tompson, a Great American, that is being released on July 4.




The second video is my favorite patriotic song. “America the Beautiful” performed by the late, great Ray Charles....




Happy 4th everybody.

And Happy Birthday America!

U.S.A! – U.S.A! – U.S.A!